Redesigning Life

10 Signs that you are near a ministry burnout.....

2011-10-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

by Perry Noble

God called us to do a lot of things for Him…but He did not call us to burn out or exchange our family for ministry.

My counselor shared a statistic with me two years ago that floored me…90% of the people entering ministry DO NOT RETIRE from ministry, they either quit or have some sort of moral/ethical failure that disqualifies them. I’m not a rocket scientist…but I honestly do not believe that is what Jesus called us to OR what He wants for our lives.

AND yet so many of us (church leaders) struggle/wrestle with this (usually inwardly because if we said out loud that we are dying inside we fear that people may perceive us as weak!)

Here are ten signs that you are near a burnout and/or meltdown…

#1 – You are beginning to despise people and your compassion for them is continually decreasing rather than increasing.

#2 – You often think about doing something other than ministry…and your biggest desire isn’t to honor God and reach people but to simply find relief from the pressure that seems to be building daily inside of you.

#3 – You cannot remember the last time you simply had fun with family and friends…and joy is something you talk about but are not experiencing for yourself.

#4 – You are disconnected at home…when you get there you do not want to engage with your spouse or your children, you cannot enjoy being around them…you spend more time online than you do with your family…and you find yourself wanting to sleep all of the time.

#5 – You continually tell yourself and those you love that “this is just a really busy season and that you will slow down soon.” (However, the truth is that you have been most likely “singing that same song” for years!)

#6 – You are continually becoming obsessed with what others say about you…and one negative comment from someone who does not like you can put you in an incredibly deep valley and cause you to feel hopeless.

#7 – You begin to make easy decisions rather than the right ones…because the right ones take too much work.

#8 – There is no hope in you…and, you actually despair life. You have actually thought of death…and some have even entertained suicidal thoughts.

#9 – You are experiencing unexplained depression and/or anxiety. You are even having panic attacks and you can’t explain it!

#10 – You are increasingly becoming withdrawn from family and friends.

“How did you come up with this list,” you ask…it’s quite simple: I went back to December 2007 until January of this past year and listed out the qualities that were the most prominent in my own life. That’s right…my life! I went through a trial of intense depression and anxiety during that time period and the best way I can describe my life would be “dark!”

However, through me swallowing my pride and asking for help, the support of an incredible wife, the support of great friends, and seeking out an incredible counselor—and the unbelievable mercy of God—I broke free from my darkness this past January. Oh sure, I still struggle with it more often than I wish I would…but I cannot tell you the incredible feelings of freedom and joy I’ve had since January that I haven’t had in YEARS!

And…this is the motivation for Reawaken—a one day worship/seminar for senior pastors, their wives and other church leaders as well. It’s going to be an event where I will be talking about the things that pastors don’t talk about that often…how to overcome the desire to quit and actually get your passion/joy back at a level that you didn’t believe you could have.

ALSO…I am bringing in who I would consider to be THE BEST counselor on the planet for pastors and church leaders. His name is Dr John Walker…and not only is he a licensed psychologist but he has also planted churches, pastored churches and served in nearly every capacity as a church staff member. In others words…he understands our world.

It’s going to be an incredible day…in fact, it COULD be the day that the Lord uses to SAVE your ministry! You can go here to find out more information about it...but I can tell you right now that it is going to be the most raw and real event that you will EVER attend. AND…pastors, I am REALLY encouraging you to bring your spouse to this one!!!

God called us to do a lot of things for Him…but He did not call us to flame out or drop out. I want what Paul said in II Timothy 4:7 to be true of all of us! I want us to finish well!

Berachah Leadership Coaching offers programs and personalized coaching in burnout prevention, as well as system-wide consultation for churches and organizations. For more information, call 516-620-3535 or email us at berachahleadership@gmail.com

7 Leadership Roles that Can’t Be Delegated

2011-10-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Tony Morgan
A couple of days ago, I introduced this series on senior leadership teams. Today, I want to take a look at the roles of this team. Again, I’m assuming for the purposes of this series that there is a separate team of elders if you are in a church. In this instance, I’m talking about the team at the top of the organization overseeing the day-to-day ministry and operations of the church.

These critical roles apply across any organization. It’s not uncommon for the senior pastor or CEO to own these responsibilities. What makes a great senior leadership team is when everyone on the team shares responsibility and ownership for these roles. When it’s a team rather than an individual, it leads to a healthier organization.

For an organization to be healthy, these are the seven roles of a senior leadership team that can’t be delegated:

1. Modeling team-based ministry from the top of the organization.
It gets very difficult to challenge other staff and volunteer leaders to build and develop teams in the church if it’s not being modeled from the top. More important, the senior leadership team needs to model what “healthy” team-based ministry looks like. We’ll cover that more in future posts, but this includes both healthy conflict and unwavering unity. (You can have both.)

2. Identifying and implementing the strategy for accomplishing the vision.
This, of course, assumes a clear vision for the church has previously been established. The senior leadership team, though, is ultimately responsible for identifying the strategies that will be used to accomplish that vision. They fill the gap between vision and execution.

3. Leading the staff and volunteers.
Every person, whether they are in a staff or volunteer role, needs to be connected through your organizational structure back to someone on the senior leadership team. There shouldn’t be any staff members, volunteers, or ministries floating out there without leadership and direction connected back to the vision.

4. Keeping everyone aligned and focused on the vision, strategy, and execution priorities.
In the early days of a church plant, this is much easier. Because there are fewer people initially, church plants stay very focused out of necessity. As churches grow, though, the senior leadership team will have to work hard to keep everyone focused on the church’s overall vision and ministry strategy. (As a side note, that means God may call someone in your church to launch a great ministry that’s not a part of the church’s vision and strategy. It just means that may be their personal mission and not the church’s mission. When that happens, you need to encourage the individual but protect the church’s mission. We actually need more of that.)

5. Considering and responding to the opportunities and threats that might impact the health of the church.
Many times, these come from outside the church. The senior leadership team needs to keep their eyes on the environment where ministry is taking place. It’s similar to engaging missions in a foreign land. We need to be aware of our surroundings to maximize the opportunities for change in our strategies. This is what will distinguish the churches that last for generations.

6. Facilitating communications with other staff, volunteers, and the church.
No, once the church grows beyond two people, everyone won’t be included in every conversation that shapes the direction of the ministry. That said, every healthy organization needs good communications. Of course, since the rest of the staff and volunteers can’t be involved in every conversation, they have to be willing to trust their leadership.

7. Monitoring key metrics and making sure the ministry is moving in a healthy direction.
It does no good to continue “doing church” without knowing whether or not what you’re doing is helping people take their next steps toward Christ. You need a reality check. Is the church healthy? Are people taking steps? Are you reaching new people? Stories of life change are important, but as the church grows, you’ll need more than intuition and feelings to measure the health of your vision and strategy.

How is your team doing in each of these areas? It might be helpful for you to take 15 minutes in your next senior leadership team and have some honest discussion about how your team is working in each role. Are you performing at your highest capacity?

What is missing from this list? What other role have you seen in your experience that is critical to building a strong senior leadership team? Join the conversation by sharing your comment.

Tony Morgan serves on the leadership team at West Ridge Church near Atlanta. He’s also a consultant and coach who helps churches get unstuck and have a bigger impact. He's the author of the leadership book Killing Cockroaches and his latest eBooks on ministry strategies and systems are available as free downloads.

Roles, Responsilibities, Rend your heart.

2011-09-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

Priests: Live between the porch and the altar.

Apprentices: Walk in the dust of the Rabbi.
Intercessors: keep looking up, stay connected in your networks.
Leaders: Lead from brokenness and transparency.
Kings: rule with integrity, justice and mercy.

"When your heart is broken, you can fit more people into it." --CR

One24 : Home Page : One24

2011-09-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

One24 : Home Page : One24

This looks like a great way to help others and help yourself!

Courage

2011-08-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Courage is a cardinal virtue. It is not the absence or the opposite of fear, but instead it is standing firm in the face of fear. At the 2011 Global Leadership Summit, Bill Hybels said, "Look problems straight in the eye, and call them what they are." @BillHybels #wcagls We need to call it just like it is.

In planting fresh vision for our organization priorities this coming year, the last admonition is the best in my view. "Don't be afraid to fail, but if you never fail, you will never win."

Right now, our organizational design firm, Berachah Leadership Coaching, is working on several fronts within existing corporations and non-profit organizations to create optimal conditions for creativity and teambuilding. You can get a free consultation by emailing berachahleadership@gmail.com

Berachah Leadership Coaching
redesigning life by revitalizing organizations

The Christ-event is...

2011-01-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

The Christ-event is...

Because of the way Jesus came, and how he ministered, and dealt with sin, things never have to remain "as they are." Because of Jesus, we do not have to remain the same, we can be changed for good, forever. This change is called salvation, and is the entre to a new life in an alternative universe, called the Kingdom of God.

be blessed today.

God Is Calling You To Have A Closer Walk With Jesus

2011-01-15T06:13:00.000-08:00

God Is Calling You To Have A Closer Walk With Jesus
Great set of articles to share with those who have questions about God, and desire to walk in the power of the Spirit.

openingsalvo: Developing a C.O.R.E of volunteers - Calling people to ministry

2011-01-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

openingsalvo: Developing a C.O.R.E of volunteers - Calling people to ministry
In our ministry redesign, we had to rethink our conception of volunteerism to fit the culture.
Service is an opportunity for healing and community-building, and those who are willing to participate in the great causes of your organization, may not fit your preconceived notions.

I just heard a story of a church that was looking to expand its physical plant. Most of the leaders were women, not a bad thing at all, but most of the husbands stayed home. When the call for volunteers came to give sweat equity, all the men finally had a reason to show up and participate. These men who were builders, carpenters, electricians, and engineers worked like dogs on this building project, bringing friends from their work sites, and getting materials donated by their companies.

The bonds these men created over this project are strong to this day. Now the men who were at first spectators became invested in the entire life of the church.

Service does heal us. Make the big ask, you will be surprised who will answer the call.

openingsalvo

2011-01-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

I have always had reservations about making resolutions, so I skip a step and make reservation. Take a look and see just what I mean

openingsalvo

2010-09-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

openingsalvo

The hide-away soul: how our distorted view of God sends us into the deep weeds, and how His love draws us out.

openingsalvo

2010-08-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

openingsalvo
New Post on a New Faith Community - Let's Connect at The Connection
more info SAmoreinfo@gmail.com

SalvationArmySuffolkNY - great causes, healing the world, social engagement strategies

2010-08-17T02:37:00.000-07:00

SalvationArmySuffolkNY - great causes, healing the world, social engagement strategies

Why get a consultant for your church?

2010-03-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

Berachah Leadership Coaching
Call 516-620-3535 or email berachahleadership@gmail.com
“Redesigning life by revitalizing organizations”

Why would a church choose to use a church consultant?
• In cases of new church start-ups, to assess and plan for ministry to reach new people at the level of felt needs.
• When there is a trend toward decline, to reconfigure leadership and/or train new leadership to take on new ministry roles,
• In strong churches, to assess the need for new ministry initiatives in discipleship and evangelism
• To reinvigorate giving for a special project, capital campaign, or new ministry initiative.
• Based on the perceived needs of church leadership, a combination of all the above.

What do church consultants do?
Based on the goals of the church, consultants perform one or more of the following services
when called on by church leaders:
• Listen
• Investigate
• Analyze
• Recommend
• Encourage change
• Help implement change, when needed

What are the areas in which a church consultant can engage?
Front- end ministries
• Worship
• Ministry / Spiritual Care
• Discipleship and Assimilation
• Evangelism
• Prayer
Back-end ministries
• Grantsmanship
• Development / Donor Cultivation
• Stewardship

How do you decide whether to engage a full study or a custom study?
• When the leadership group of the church body has a clear understanding of the areas of ministry growth desired at the present time.
• Whenever an objective voice is needed in a particular situation. Some preliminary analysis will be needed to ascertain the real needs of the governing group.

Call Berachah Leadership Coaching at 516-620-3535 or email berachahleaderaship@gmail.com to get a free initial consultation.

Coaching as of way of life....

2009-11-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

From Little League and Pop Warner to the Fortune 500 and beyond, coaching as a paradigm has swept in from ballfields to board rooms. I would say that if you searched 'coaching,' you would find everything from life coaches to death coaches. Coaching is practically an overused term

But the paradigm is here to stay. Here's the rub, though - who wants to be coached? A major leaguer in a slump needs a batting coach, to tweak his swing (or most likely, take the tweaks out, and replace the way the player has tried to compensate for the lack of hits with a better, purer habit) Major leaguers need coaching, but do other people. Leaders? Pastors??

In order to prepare to receive coaching, there are few things we must do.

First, admit your need. This can be the hardest part. Most Type-A people don't stop long enough to reflect on anything.

Second, be a F-A-T person. Be faithful, available and teachable. Recognize while you may know many things, you truly do not know everything. A good coach recognizes that too, but the second set of eyes on business rules, organizational regularities, processes and procedures may give you insight that is right there, but not immediately seen by staff or leadership.

Third, realize that coaching is a life-long process. Whether it be nutritional counseling, personal fitness training, or spiritual direction, coaching is for every area of life, and there is a coach for every season.

Would you like to explore coaching for your church leadership group, or yourself. Connect with me via berachahleadership@gmail.com and we can customize a coaching plan for you and leadership team to make more, and emotionally healthier disciples of Jesus Christ.

Be blessed!

An Excerpt from my new friend, Jim Seybert

2009-06-20T02:10:00.000-07:00

Facebook, Twitter and MySpace Growth

June 15th, 2009 by Jim Seybert

Inside Facebook is reporting a milestone reached by the social network in May 2009 - that’s when the number of unique US users on Facebook exceeded unique US users on MySpace. The margin was small, but to paraphrase Aristotle, “a win is a win.”

The Internet measuring site comSCORE pegged Facebook’s unique US users at 70.28 million in May 2009 with MySpace at 70.26 million for the same period. What’s probably more telling is the rate of growth - Facebook gained 97% between May 2008 and May 2009. The number of MySpace unique sites declined by 5% during the year.

And you certainly shouldn’t be surprised to learn that Twitter grew nearly 2700% from May to May - from just over 600,000 users to a whopping 17.5 million in 12 months. (Nearly everyone I know who is now using Twitter was not using Twitter at this time last year - including me).

One of my first Strategy Retreats (in February 2002) included a short segment where I helped an executive team think through how they might use email to supplement their marketing efforts. The agenda for an upcoming retreat includes a half day focusing solely on taking Facebook and Twitter “to the next level.”

The futurist in me is dying to know what we’ll be talking about this time next year?

Me: I just found a treasure trove of Twitter secrets, email

berachahleadership@gmail.com and I’ll send it to you.

From Church Leaders Intelligence Report

2009-06-19T06:14:00.001-07:00

06.17.09

How Your Congregation Reacts to Recession

Reacting to Recession, a study by London‘s M&C Saatchi, uncovers the attitudes and behavior adopted by different groups of consumers and finds eight typologies with distinct approaches to the use of their money. Churches can benefit from understanding each segment and adapting their communications in regards to generosity, giving and financial projects. Each typology has adopted a different predominant behavior or ‘strategy’ to cope financially with the downturn, and it is this behavior that defines each grouping.

Crash Dieters (26%) identify and cut out all non-essential spending until things improve. They live from week to week, and when the money runs out, they’re forced to take drastic action.
Scrimpers (13%) down-trade rather than cut out. They are more likely to substitute brands with private labels rather than dropping them altogether.
Abstainers (15%) want to maintain their lifestyle and postpone big purchases until the situation improves.
Balancers (9%) rob Peter to pay Paul. They prefer sacrifice to compromise.
Treaters (12%) don’t find it easy to cut back, but know they have to. So they reward their frugalness with regular small treats.
Justifiers (12%) are happy to give, but in the current climate they want to be sure their money is well-used. They’re looking for value deals.
Ostriches (9%) feel unaffected or in denial and are spending normally.
Vultures (4%) are looking to profit from others’ misfortune. (Let’s hope your church doesn’t have any of those!)

The findings of this study indicate certain communication techniques and language that may work well among certain segments, but not others. Take some time and evaluate the primary typology present in your church and modify your communication strategies accordingly.

Adapted from Center for Media Research Brief, 6/3/09

Are you looking for a good church?

2009-03-22T03:27:00.000-07:00

Are you called to plant a church?

Calling is a personal issue; discerning God’s will is the big deal here. Leadership begins with the leader and church planting begins with the leader.

There are unhealthy reasons to start a church:
1- To desire to plant a big church: Leighton Ford, and his generation went into parachurch to fulfill their Kingdom ambition;

2- Be wary of an unhealthy desire for size and achievement;

3- All of the authors are pastors and church planters---gets into the psyche (ego)

4- To be the next hero or celebrity….size, media, books, etc.

5- You just like the style of the church/ method; just want to have the freedom.

6- There is a difference between reaching the lost, and operating in a style you enjoy

7- To leave or escape a transition, or a failed attempt; starting a new church is the way around failure

8- Wanting to create a dream job, in a dream location, in a dream: means to an end for self, instead of doing selfish things for selfish reasons…creating my own Disney World

[Beginning: church planting is apostolic, structure grows over time, and by-laws are not even applicable until the second year of growth]
NOTE: Have structure planned at front end

Spiritual Gifts
Either alone / in team—for any seeker-targeted church
Vision
Resources all are needed
Motivation
Spiritual Gifts

Romans 12
1 Cor 12 listings are indicative, not definitive—the Spirit is not limited
Eph 4:11f.
1 Peter 2

Four essential gifts that are essential in the planter or in the team
1. (Creative) Communication: the point communicator MUST be engifted with communication Get consensus from a wide variety of sources as to the efficacy of your communication.
Small churches are small for a reason; usually the gift-mix is not in the leader; can be coached to the next level, if the gift exists; passion for communication for the gift of communication

2. Gift of evangelism: desire to reach the lost is different from the gift of evangelism; not personal evangelism, but mass evangelism—Billy Graham; specialist in wide-area evangelism. Specialization: curricular evangelism, personal, etc. Mass evangelization - ability to spread the widest net possible

3. Leadership: most leadership intensive; cast vision, impart cooperation; non-profit leadership is based on the altruism of others; strong catalytic leader is needed; Romans 12; spiritual gift of leadership, more dynamic than a strong personality,

4. Chemistry: There must be excellent chemistry on the team. That chemistry is created by koinonia, and protected by the team.

What kind of church are you called to plant?

Seeker-targeted is the default kind of church that is planted: not a style or a strategy, but it is a value. There are five choices:

1. Seeker-hostile: This is a seeker culture in America, right now. Illustration: “you’re not our type”
Dress, politics, worship service, rhetoric in preaching, music, modes of fellowship
[Looking at the Gospels, Jesus was able to speak uncompromised truth, and still was invited to everybody’s party]

2. Seeker-indifferent: Not thinking about seekers at all; seekers are not on the radar screen, don’t think of any other growth is transfer growth; evangelical are so good at being shielded that there is no other life; Christian cliques and holy huddles insulate one from the wider culture

3. Seeker-hopeful: Nothing concrete was done to guide the seekers in their decision-making process: very high on rhetoric, very low on reality. No intentional planning

4. Seeker-sensitive: clear changes in behavior, clear adjustment in contemporary forms, but the front-door client is still the believer. Announcements, Lord’s Supper, lingo, sermon topics are fitted to the believer (contemporary model)
Front-end customer is the transfer-growth of believers…..

5. Seeker-targeted: the mission is to turn irreligious people into serious followers of Jesus Christ. Main, front door, web page, direct mail, is directed to the outreach pattern of the newcomers. Starting points are where seekers are; orientation, value, results in intentional behaviors and changes to attract and keep seekers [as opposed to being seeker-driven]

Here is a "No man’s land" for planters: you think you are targeting the seekers, but don’t go all the way, but don’t go all the way in the entry points that reach believers. Until you know who is not going to like your church, you have not sharpened up who you are reaching. [Laser-beam vs. shotgun]
Audience is determined by the point communicator. If your vision is to be seeker-targeted, be that way. Be strategic. Assimilation must occur before discipleship begins….

Two foundational ministries for churches: CHILDREN and ARTS!

If you are seeker-sensitive, know that some front-door elements will be for believers!
These are not styles, but orientations…..
Context: Jerusalem, Mars Hill, Antioch, Ephesus, etc.
There is a greater experiential element in the culture, now than ever before. Does authentic worship touch the seeker? Yes, remembering the size, dynamics, culture, psychographics, etc.
Strategy doesn’t eliminate, but reprioritizes them at different times.
Most ministries have separated Evangelization and Edification. For example, weekend seeker services, mid-week New Community believers’ service.
The natural way for the depraved church is to move from mission and to the maintenance of need-fulfillment of believers. Disproportionate amount of time needs to be spent on evangelism…..mission must return in order for church to be real church:

Believers with a breaking heart about lost people
Sharing Christ, turning conversations around to spiritual things
Making invitations to individuals to a life-changing encounter with Christ.

Seekers seek a congregation from a consumer perspective; seekers questions and believers’ questions are growing more similar
Seekers want to experience before they believe.

You cannot plant a church until you understand your culture…how do you exegete a culture
What are the top radio stations?
Education level by strata (more important than income)
Blue collar/ White collar
Age
Married? Kids? Number of kids?

Vertical needs:
What is a spiritual life?
Nature of God
Apologetics
Ask the questions of your target group, then give them God: Raw and uncut

Horizontal needs:
Marriage
Parenting
Family
Self-esteem
Meaning of life
Listen to the hearts, then create an environment for life in at least one of these areas.

1950’s [___________________________________________________] Xianity
1 8 10
Acceptance of the deity of X
Basic knowledge
Built in sense of guilt and conviction
Understood role of membership

[____________________________________________________] Church
1 8
Understood moral value of the church
Outreaches
Revivals
Sunday school
Door-to-door
Bus ministry

Mid-1970-
Late 1980’s [______________________________________________] Xianity
1 8
Same understandings, but different praxis:

[_______________________________________________________] Church
1 3

Door-to-door was unlawful
Revivals /no longer amusement: church was no longer center of community
Sunday school: not a beginning for unchurched, small group meetings were in SBC, decline since 1971
Churches that grew (Willow Creek, Saddleback, and First Baptist Church in Houston) do certain things

R1--reason, approach to evangelism was a reasonable, critical to process in order to decide

R2--relevance, outline to use on Monday, preaching with life application, contemporary music, printing; décor was related to the culture of the day.

R3--real: turn off was hypocrisy, televangelist scandal, wanted authentic community, to connect with people; people born in 1963-1977 have no memory of the gospel, struggle with incarnation of Christ, vast majority do not believe in absolute truth, no confidence in truth or authority of the Bible, no idea of John 3:16, (must be a Web site), complete repudiation of the gospel, new unpardonable sin is saying that anything is a sin.
[___________________________________________________________] Xianity
1 3

[___________________________________________________________] Church
1 3

“The Great Divorce” ---it is the separation of religious experience, and the particular claims of a particular faith tradition.
Seekers are
Not interested in church
Not having time
Not a value

Shift: We are no longer preaching to Jews in Jerusalem; we are now talking with Pagans at Mars Hill.
[__________________________________________________________] Spirituality
1 8
Enormous spiritual interest: prayer of Jabez, DaVinci Code, Purpose-Driven Life
Spirituality, yes: church, no. Christianity, maybe.

Today’s people are mystics…..link the 3 R’s with the 3 E’s Leonard Sweet calls them "soul artists."

E1--Explanation: we need to help people to understand, before reason 50’s, 80’s facts,
o 00’s introduction to truth; “this is a Bible”----must talk to a truth source, not from a truth source
o 50’s “Does God exist”….
o 00’s “What kind of God are we talking about?”) old school apologetics ---reason

E2--Experience: encounter with the divine, sacred acts that brings feeling of spiritual---
o People need to belong before they believe, 80-90’s people believed their way into feelings, 00’s people feel their way into believing. ----
o no theological framework,
o no worldview to guide them into to good things;
o need classic frameworks of spiritual disciplines,
o Interest in the ancient, there is a thin line, need mix of new and ancient, wanted to touch the transcendent. Watch the culture, size, group dynamics…….50- 80/ 500-800 smaller
o the group is everything! Norms are established communally.

E3--Example: the effective churches of the 90’s worked very hard to appear real, now it is time to be real
o Relational examples of transformed life must be seen; the skepticism about the counter-culture must be disproven by real Christianity.
o Truth reigns supreme…..this doubt is applied across the entire culture….this is prime time for cults, because can see a true faith (in the wrong things)…..***people need to see good news, before they hear good news---

There is an evangelical sub-culture in which the church orbits, and has no knowledge of the needs and pain of unchurched people….we've got to jettison that.

Culture is flattening at an amazing pace: clothing, art, music, and lingo: the cultural Icons are worldwide---dissemination is immediate and global—Education, judicial systems, and media: values are communicated, so that cultural distinctives are less apparent.

Goal: a cybernetic, QI, systems approach to strategy, staying ahead of the curve, providing cultural environments that provide communities for nurturance, constantly responding to culture, doing evangelism, ministry, worship, training—becoming a loving and learning community….
Tradition is not orthodoxy, and the method is not the message.
The emerging church is not wed to the strategy, but to the VALUES

If you would like discover whether you are church planter or belong on a church planting team, email me at berachahleadership@gmail.com

Reprint: Safety 101

2008-10-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Safety 101
A church leader's guide to risk management

Developing a comprehensive risk management plan for your church starts with assessing the risks in each key area of ministry.
When a child custody dispute erupted after a nursery school graduation ceremony at the Grabill Missionary Church in Grabill, Indiana, teachers at the school were caught squarely between the battling parents. "At the time, we didn't have a clear policy in place," Pastor David Sjoberg said, "and our staff even disagreed among themselves how to handle the situation."
In the wake of that incident, church leaders realized that they needed to develop more comprehensive risk management policies. "We want to make our church the safest place we possibly can for the children in our care," Sjoberg explained.

Like an increasing number of churches, Grabill Missionary sees the need to take steps to prevent problems before they happen—the very essence of risk management. Many churches, like Grabill Missionary, are working on comprehensive risk management plans that thoughtfully consider and address the exposures involved in their ministries.

Developing a Plan

Even when church leaders recognize the value of developing a risk management plan, it's sometimes difficult to know where to start. Your first challenge is finding the right person to oversee the responsibility. Then, you need to decide which area of ministry to tackle first. Trying to address every aspect of your ministry at once could be overwhelming and discouraging. Once you have implemented risk control measures in one area, you'll be able to build on that success to make changes elsewhere.
Choose good people. Recruiting the right people to develop the plan is key, says Matthew Greene, southern regional manager for Brotherhood Mutual. Create one or more committees of people who understand and value risk management. Include professionals in areas you intend to address, such an accountant for financial issues and a builder for structural ones. Most importantly, Greene says, "put someone in charge who is invested with enough authority to make things happen."

Take small steps.

To make it more manageable, break the process of developing a risk management plan into several "bite-size" steps. First, focus on the areas most central to your ministry, suggests Jehu Brabham, business administrator of Parkway Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi. For his church, this meant starting with children's activities and transportation.
Identify risks. Then, look at all the possible risks in those areas, asking yourself: "What's the worst thing that could happen?" In the children's area, you might ask if a non custodial parent could kidnap a child or if the nursery wing could catch fire. Assess the probability of each risk and what you can do to reduce or eliminate it. (See "Six Steps to Reducing Risk")

Use available resources.

"Remember that you don't have to reinvent the wheel," Brabham said. "There are many places to find help with risk management strategies." He picked up ideas from reading church-oriented magazines, talking with other church business administrators, and conferring with his insurer's loss control experts.

At Brookside Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Executive Pastor Rocky Rocholl found that his membership in the National Association of Church Business Administrators was a valuable source of information about risk management. He also found help within his congregation. "We've been fortunate in having a number of insurance professionals among our members, and we've tapped their knowledge in identifying risks and finding ways to address them," he said. "Risk management has been in our DNA from the start."

Implementing the Plan

Once the plan is developed and approved, communication is critical. Church leaders should share relevant parts of the plan with key employees and volunteers and make sure they get periodic training, Rocholl emphasized. At Brookside, training usually occurs quarterly. It also occurs as new volunteers are screened and selected.

Brookside Church's risk management plan covers 13 different areas, from human resources to preventive maintenance and emergency response guidelines, said Rocholl. Each component of the plan (e.g., childcare) is developed by the director or minister for that particular area, working with his or her staff and volunteers. The plan must be approved first by the entire staff and then by the church's Leadership Council before being implemented.

The rollout of a new plan may upset some church members. When Parkway Baptist introduced extensive new screening policies for childcare and youth workers, some longtime volunteers questioned whether the policies went too far. Brabham explained that the policies were developed with one thing in mind—protecting the church's children. He reminded volunteers that screening them would allow the church to stand behind each of them with full confidence, and he said the grumbling slowly gave way to understanding.

Following Through

Once completed, a risk management plan shouldn't just end up as a document that gathers dust on a bookshelf, Greene said. "It really needs to be an all-encompassing, proactive approach," he explained. "We keep seeing new types of risks all the time, so you need a plan that's updated fairly often."

For churches like Grabill Missionary that are just starting to develop a plan, Greene offers encouragement. "Ultimately, having an ongoing risk management plan is one of the best investments a church can make," Greene said. "By spending a little time up front and thinking through their risks, church leaders can effectively protect their ministry and keep it moving forward."

Adapted from Volume 18, Issue 3, of The Deacon's Bench. View a printable version (PDF 881k) of this issue.

How to Draw the Best Out of Your Team - Church Leaders Intelligence Report

2008-09-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

How to Draw the Best Out of Your Team

Steven Liparoto, in his leadership guide, "How to Draw the Best Out of Your People" offers the six leadership practices that make the most of your team members.

Lead Yourself. Self-discipline must be "job one" if you are to draw out the best in others. Know your natural talents, your limits, your goals and values.

Know Your People. Discover what each person is best at and capitalize on those gifts, talents and abilities. Do not attempt to "fix" their weaknesses but find ways to manage around them.

Build Trust With Them. Building trusting relationships with your team members will encourage full commitment from them. An absence of trust leads to a fear of conflict, avoidance of accountability and eventual inattention to results.

Coach Them. Provide the resources, encouragement, guidance and correction needed so your people can excel and achieve winning results. Address the needs of the whole person: heart, body, mind and spirit.

Release Them. Continual checking up on your team members warns of a lack of trust and damages your credibility. When you permit your team members to function autonomously with less over-the-shoulder monitoring, they are "released" to exercise their own judgment about achieving results. This freedom creates a sense of ownership, accomplishment and responsibility. Define your goals and results clearly, then be approachable and recognize positive contributions.

Have Fun With Them. Intentionally create a satisfying, joy-filled workplace by playing fair, encouraging friendships, offering challenging work, and reminding the team that the work is worthwhile. When you give people the opportunity to get together and laugh, it creates a strong sense of camaraderie, solidarity and team orientation.

Excerpted from Steve Liparato, "How To Draw the Best Out of Your People" Leadership Guide
Adapted from Mark Sanborn, "Why Leaders Fail" Leadership Wired, 08/08.

The Minister's Life

2008-08-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

I have heard it said that nothing is more important in ministry than the life of the minister. I've been reading of late about the minister's life, and like most lives, it is a morass of emotions, dreams, desires and disappointments. Really, the goal of life is life, right. And smack-dab in the middle of life and ministry, stuff happens. Death and taxes, and a review from the district superintendent!

It's all good, but there is another factor - I call it the superman factor. The minister is never to show these facets of humanness to "real" people, except for the occasional (and I mean, occasional) personal sermon illustration. Always smiling, always speaking with "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs," the minister never lets one emotion through the tough pastoral INFP veneer (that was you Myers-Briggs fans!)

So, who do you confess to? To whom do you turn who serves as community to you? I hope you have someone. I pray that you find someone - a trusted counselor, a minister in another community, in another denomination to serve as spiritual director, a soul friend.

At Berachah Leadership Coaching, there are those who can serve as that soul friend. Drop a line at berachahleadership@gmail.com

be blessed!

sp

Here's another freebie! Free Food!!

2008-08-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

8 Simple Ways to Control Stress!
Simple modifications in posture, habits, thought, and behavior often go a long way toward reducing feelings of stress and tension. Here are 8 quick and simple things you can do immediately to help keep your stress level under control.

1. Control Your Anger:
Watch for the next instance in which you find yourself becoming annoyed or angry at something trivial or unimportant, then practice letting go - make a conscious choice not to become angry or upset. Do not allow yourself to waste thought and energy where it isn't deserved. Effective anger management is a tried-and-true stress reducer.

2. Breathe:
Breathe slowly and deeply. Before reacting to the next stressful occurrence, take three deep breaths and release them slowly. If you have a few minutes, try out breathing exercises such as meditation or guided imagery. The best guided imagery comes from the Bible.

3. Slow Down:
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by stress, practice speaking more slowly than usual. You'll find that you think more clearly and react more reasonably to stressful situations. Stressed people tend to speak fast and breathlessly; by slowing down your speech you'll also appear less anxious and more in control of any situation.

4. Complete One Simple To Do:
Jump start an effective time management strategy. Choose one simple thing you have been putting off (e.g. returning a phone call, making a doctor's appointment) and do it immediately. Just taking care of one nagging responsibility can be energizing and can improve your attitude.

5. Get Some Fresh Air:
Get outdoors for a brief break. Our grandparents were right about the healing power of fresh air. Don't be deterred by foul weather or a full schedule. Even five minutes on a balcony or terrace can be rejuvenating.

6. Avoid Hunger and Dehydration:
Drink plenty of water and eat small, nutritious snacks. Hunger and dehydration, even before you're aware of them, can provoke aggressiveness and exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress.

7. Do a Quick Posture Check:
Hold your head and shoulders upright and avoid stooping or slumping. Bad posture can lead to muscle tension, pain, and increased stress.

8. Recharge at the Day’s End:
Plan something rewarding for the end of your stressful day, even if only a relaxing bath or half an hour with a good book. Put aside work, housekeeping or family concerns for a brief period before bedtime and allow yourself to fully relax. Don't spend this time planning tomorrow's schedule or doing chores you didn't get around to during the day. Remember that you need time to recharge and energize yourself - you'll be much better prepared to face another stressful day.

If you would like more information about stress reduction, spiritual formation, or organizational revitalization, email berachahleadership@gmail.com

Here's a free resource for you!

2008-08-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

Has it been a busy summer for you too?? Do you rememeber the quiet, lazy days of summer?? Not any more - with mission trips, Vacation Bible School, outreach missions to reach lost people....you might need a vacation from your vacation, too!

Well maybe you've been thinking about how to do church different this year, to display a lived Christianity. Well, here are some questions that growing churches ask. If you want some help on growing your church, in bringing a revitalized vision for mission, read on.....

If you would like a free demographic report of the faith and lifestyle preferences, email berachahleadership@gmail.com

10 Questions Growing Churches Should Ask
Brought to you by
Berachah Leadership Coaching
“Redesigning life by revitalizing organizations”
berachahleadership@gmail.com

1. Is your ministry strategy creating buzz in your community?

If people aren’t talking about what’s happening at your church, they’re not inviting their friends. What are you doing to create dialogue and make people think “I need to check that out and see for myself”?

2. Do volunteers own the ministry of the church?
You can’t hire enough staff to accomplish the entire ministry spectrum that needs to be accomplished in a growing church. With that in mind, you need to create a culture where the volunteers expect to do it before staff.

3. Do you exceed the expectations of your first-time guests?
Whether we like it or not, our guests are consumers before they’re convinced they should become learners or worshippers or servants. That means they’re walking into your doors for the first time expecting an experience that meets or exceeds what they’re getting at the theatre, the restaurant and the mall.

4. Are you attracting the very best talent to your team?
This is about both staff and volunteer team development. Ministry success begins with gifted people who are committed to the vision. Are you getting and keeping the best?

5. Are people having fun?
You have to give people hope, encouragement and the chance to laugh. We live in a fast-paced, stressful culture. If people can’t find health and balance in your church, they’ll find it someplace else.

6. Does your team know, embrace and champion the church's established vision and values?
Leaders need vision. Resources will follow vision. Churches divide because of lack of vision. You have to figure out where you’re going to know if you’ll ever arrive.

7. Do people accept change as normal?
Believe it or not, even churches can develop a culture where change is both expected and embraced. And change is certainly critical in a culture that is continually morphing.

8. Are you addressing the real issues of real lives?
People are looking for more than a three-point message that exegetes the biblical text. They’re trying to parent their kids, save their marriages, deal with losses and illnesses and addictions. They’re trying to find purpose and fulfillment for their lives. Is your message relevant to their lives?

9. Are you as committed to developing effective systems as you are to innovation? As churches grow, they need to move from a purely entrepreneurial approach to one that also values the development of effective systems and strategies in area like structure, staffing, technology and finances. Through systems big churches remain small enough to personalize the experience for every attender.

10. Have you built a church of leaders?

You can’t do it alone. It takes a team of empowered leaders to take ministry to the next level. What are you doing to multiply and release the leadership potential in your church? And, are you creating an environment where high-capacity leaders are welcomed? These are the questions that have been challenging my thinking in recent years. I don’t know that our ministry has completely arrived in any of these areas, but I know these have been the issues we’ve tried to address along the way to continue the growth cycle we’ve experienced. These are the continuing questions that come out of our mission statement, the filter for how and what we do to create a mission culture. Hopefully, they will challenge your thinking as well.

Berachah Leadership Coaching has been assisting congregations in discerning their futures. We believe that the entire congregation has a role in this process and that the leaders often need specific skills, resources and a set-apart time to guide the congregation in the process.
For more information, or to schedule a pre-consultation conference, call Charles Roberts at 516-620-3535, or email berachahleadership@gmail.com

Today I was at a glorious community of believers

2008-06-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

What a fellowship! What a joy divine! Leaning on the everlasting arms! What a blessedness! What a peace is mine! Leaning on the everlasting arms!

What a glorious fellowship. The Love for God and people was palpable. The believers were devoted to the apostle's teaching, to the breaking of bread, to the fellowship and to prayer.
What a delightful breakfast, straight out of the Caribbean, and with such marvelous company. I breakfasted with one of God's anointed - a delightful 7-year old. She says to me, "Are you a pastor? You look like a pastor!" I said, "God must have told you, you know His voice." She said, "I know his voice, but you just look like a pastor!" We talked about her home country, Jamaica, and many other things, all with great laughter. The (real) pastor of the church came into the hall, greeting everyone with a holy kiss, and it was clear that he was well loved here.

After breakfast, we entered into a time of praise and worship, breaking strongholds. It was clear that this place was built on prayer, that the people know how to pray. And, then it was time for the Word.

Romans 12:1-8 The Man God Can Use

12:1 God can use a consecrated man
12:2 God can use a transformed man
12:3 God can use a balanced man
12:4-8 God will give supernatural gifts to THAT man

Question: Do you want to be THAT man - the man God can use?

This was a fellowship on the move - Do you want a fellowship on the move? Berachah Leadership Coaching can come along side your congregation, and together seek the face of God and His soul-lutions for your area.

email berachahleaderhip@gmail.com and receive a free intro demographic report. be blessed!
sp

Coming attractions....

2008-06-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

Churches are organic things, and like most organic things, they grow up-and-down, and east-to-west. I've done some thinking on growth, and I've come to at least one conclusion: that we need to develop a greenhouse for growth - that Scripture, holy friendships, and opportunities to be formed into Christ's likeness are the vitamins, fertilizer and plant stakes for good growth.

Acts 2:42-47 gives a blueprint for growth. After the "growth spurt" of Pentecost, the young church of at least 3,120 went into action.

They were devoted to the apostles' teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

Devoted. Fully committed.

They grew up by being consistent in teaching, taking the Lord's Supper, and grew in intimacy by prayer.

Everyone was filled with awe, and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to everyone as he had need.

They grew together in love, in compassion for one another. Their practical expressions of love were expressed in the community of faith.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

They grew out of the confines of the temple, which was open space anyway, into the wider neighborhoods where their witness was public and immediate. Their "glad and sincere hearts" were a sure-fire witness.

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

They grew more as the result of a genuine love, a sincere local fellowship, multiplication of ministries through the power of the Holy Spirit. The infant church was attractive, as the light of the love of Jesus fired them all up.

If you would like to have more of this kind of focus, drive and energy in your present ministry, contact me at berachahleadership@gmail.com We can chat a bit on how to come along side you.

be blessed today.

Just how do you get it all done??

2008-05-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

"Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches" – Proverbs 24:3

The divine combination of wisdom, understanding and knowledge is effected through the interaction of Word, Spirit and the community of faith.

-- How does a church leader balance all the roles that he functions in? Teacher? Preacher? Administrator? Referee? Evangelist? Father? Husband? Leadership Developer?

-- Where are the “watering holes” which supply you with resources, both internal and external for replenishing and revisioning?

Does the church have enough leaders to fulfill the vision God has given?

Do you sense a fit between the church’s ministry offerings and the wider needs of community?

Are there particular ministry situations where you wish you had a second set of eyes to get perspective?

Within all the roles you engage in on a daily basis, is there enough space for you to dream God’s dream for your patch of the Kingdom?

If you are pondering about these questions, we can chat about how to get you some breathing room.

Chat with me at berachahleadership@gmail.com

Redesigning Life by Revitalizing Organizations

2008-05-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

Organizations, by their nature, are organic. Needing nurture and fertilization, organizations grow (gk, auxano) in a proximo-distal fashion. That is, organizations grow from north - south and east - west. They grow in size and they grow in impact. Pastor, Leader: how does your garden grow?

Want your organization's garden of people, resources and finances to grow? Could you use a second set of eyes to look in on a situation?
Call on Berachah Leadership Coaching to redesign your life by revitalizing your organizations.

Berachah Leadership Coaching exists to assist churches of single-cell size to bring about church health and growth through:

- identification of internal and external growth barriers
- instruction in Christian discipleship,
- implementation of growth plans, so that congregations can continue to grow into healthy and strong multiplying faith communities.

By virtue of our name (meaning, "to bless") Berachah Leadership Coaching seeks to be a blessing to the Body of Christ.

Email to berachahleadership@gmail.com and receive a free socio-environmental assessment.

be blessed, sp