Posts Tagged ‘leadership’

Rather than regurgitating my own notes from some of the other speakers at Catalyst, here are some links to their talks that have already been written about on other blogs. Just click on the image for the link.

Andy also opened up Catalyst with a great message which you can see summarized here.

One of the highlights of Catalyst for me was Chuck Swindoll’s message on Friday. I have been an appreciate follower of his as a pastor, author, leader at Dallas Theological Seminary and speaker on his radio show Insight for Living. One of my favorite, all-time books is his Grace Awakening.

He is one of those “elder statesmen” of the church that makes me pause and listen to what he says. He is consistently faithful to the biblical text while at the same time remaining eminently practical to applying its truth to life.

At Catalyst, he was presented with their Lifetime Achievement Award. It was a fitting honor for a humble leader.

The following are notes from his message to the crowd of 12K energetic, young (at heart) church planters, leaders and supposed innovators.

He began with a quote from Alan Redpath: “If God wants to do an impossible task, he will take an impossible person and crush them.” Swindoll echoed this by saying, “In all your dreams and enthusiasm, just leave room in your life for the crushing.”

This certainly hit home with me, and for the rest of his presentation, I was glued on his every word. He spoke with gracious humility mixed with apostolic authority.

10 things you need to know about leadership

1. It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed – especially young in life. He said, “It’s rare for God to bring young men into vast areas of leadership.” If you’re under 30 and have experienced success in the church or ministry leadership, beware.
3. It’s hardest at home. That’s where the real you lives. No pretending there. Are you at your best at home, or does your family get leftovers? No one is applauding you at home saying, “Wow, Dad, you’re incredible!”
4. It’s essential to be real.
5. It’s painful to obey.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
   Malcom Muggeridge says, “I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my seventy-years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness, whether pursued or attained. In other words, if it ever were to be possible to eliminate affliction from our earthly existence by means of some drug or other medical mumbo jumbo, as Aldous Huxley envisaged in Brave New World, the result would not be to make life delectable, but to make it too banal and trivial to be endurable. This, of course, is what the Cross signifies. And it is the Cross, more than anything else, that has called me inexorably to Christ.”
7. My attitude is more important then my actions. Swindoll said, “Some of you are getting hard to be around!”
8. Integrity eclipses image. What you’re doing is not a show!
9. God’s way is always better then my way. Our problem is that we’re too capable and can accomplish so much in the flesh. God cannot pour all of His riches into hands that are already full.
10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

Swindoll’s text was 2 Corinthians 4:5-72 Corinthians 4:5-7
English: World English Bible - WEB
5 For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake; ⁶ seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

WP-Bible plugin:

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

The foundational principle he drew from this was: We should be willing to leave the familiar methods without disturbing the biblical message.

He went on to describe the difference between traditionalism and tradition:

• Traditionalism: the dead faith of those still living
• Tradition: living faith of those now dead

He made three important observations about the text:

1. With every ministry, a special mercy is needed.
2. In every ministry the same things must be renounced and rejected

• Hiding shameful things
• Doing deceitful things
• Corrupting truthful things

3. Through every ministry, a unique style should be pursued.

• We don’t need to promote ourselves.
• We declare Christ Jesus as Lord.
• We see ourselves as bondservants of Jesus Christ.
• We never forget what we are… And who He is.

He concluded his ministry to us at Catalyst with “5 statements for your next 50 years in ministry:”

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone.
2. Emphasize quality not quantity.
3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you. (It will keep you from exaggerating.)
4. Whoever may respond, keep a level head (whether you’re worshiped or crucified).
5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.

Note: Thanks to Tim Schraeder for allowing me to use the above graphic.

I returned from Catalyst 2009 late Friday-early Saturday with my church staff, and I wanted to post some quick reflections on the experience. I’ve been wanting to attend for 9 years, and finally made it this year to celebrate its 10th birthday.

I know of no other event that seeks to honor Christ and elevate joy as much as Catalyst. There were incredible moments of tear-jerking spirituality – such as when one man was brought on stage to promote Compassion International. He had been supporting kids through CI for 12 years. The Catalyst staff then surprised him by bringing up on stage a young man from Africa – one of the kids he had been supporting for years. It was the first time they’d ever met in person. The two fell to their knees in a sobbing, joyful embrace of love and overwhelming emotion.

On the other hand, another Guiness Book record was broken as Professor Splash jumped from a 35’9″ platform into a foot of water in a kiddie pool.

There was a impact-laden lineup of Christ-centered speakers and ministers that included the likes of Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, Dave Ramsey, Matt Chandler, Chuck Swindoll and Priscilla Schirer. These gracious leaders urged us to turn from sin, consumerism and shallow thinking.

Then there was the 10-minute football fight that literally looked like snow as the 12,000he 12,000
English: World English Bible - WEB
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin participants launched mini inflatable footballs at each other and a group of kids wearing football uniforms on the stage. This preceded the introduction of Tony Dungy and his clear, unequivocal and humble talk that demonstrated how one can walk with Christ and ego-addicts at the same time.

We were challenged and exposed to the depth of need for ministry and intercession as we learned about the 143 million orphans in our world (check out 143million.org) and alternatively, we laughed our heads off at the inane videos of theme interpretation of “On Your Mark.” Two of the Catalyst staffers created some of the most Jackass-like videos with the tagline “That’s gonna leave a mark.”

Catalyst 2009 was both a circus and a sanctuary.

It was the best of times and the worst of times.

Considering that Dave Ramsey’s group co-sponsored the event and then gave out 6000 free t-shirts promoting Financial Peace also left one wondering about the mixed message.

While thousands drank the Catalyst Koolaid without question, thousands also whispered in private conversations over Rwandan coffee about the confusing message of Christ, sheer entertainment, consumerism and selfless service.

One was left wondering at times, should we be more focused and less fun? Is it sinful to have a great time – especially considering the suffering of other saints? Are we magnifying the frivolous at the altar of edgy?

Yet… the moments of worship that transcended frivolity were plentiful. The humility evidenced by most of the speakers was tangible. The name of Christ was consistently magnified, and some of His most unnoticed servants – adoptive parents – were given honor and attention. Andy Stanley spoke on areas of leadership so desperately needed by the younger generation of Christian wanna-be’s.

In these hours of near-reflection, I am both grateful and embarrassed that I was able to participate. I am not critical of Catalyst. Rather, I’m challenged by it. Truly, its name is appropriate.

I’ll be posting some thoughts later on some of the messages I heard. Three of them deeply ministered to me. Stay tuned…

Sometime ago, I read Mark Buchanan’s book Now, Discover Your Strengths and took the StrengthsFinder inventory. I have discovered that it really helps to communicate with others in leadership arenas when you speak the same inventory “language.”

I’m posting my results here straight from the material just as an FYI:

My Signature Themes

Activator

“When can we start?” This is a recurring question in your life. You are impatient for action. You may concede that analysis has its uses or that debate and discussion can occasionally yield some valuable insights, but deep down you know that only action is real. Only action can make things happen. Only action leads to performance. Once a decision is made, you cannot not act. Others may worry that “there are still some things we don’t know,” but this doesn’t seem to slow you. If the decision has been made to go across town, you know that the fastest way to get there is to go stoplight to stoplight. You are not going to sit around waiting until all the lights have turned green. Besides, in your view, action and thinking are not opposites. In fact, guided by your Activator theme, you believe that action is the best device for learning. You make a decision, you take action, you look at the result, and you learn. This learning informs your next action and your next. How can you grow if you have nothing to react to? Well, you believe you can’t. You must put yourself out there. You must take the next step. It is the only way to keep your thinking fresh and informed. The bottom line is this: You know you will be judged not by what you say, not by what you think, but by what you get done. This does not frighten you. It pleases you.

Strategic

The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?” Select. Strike.

Intellection

You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the “muscles” of your brain, stretching them in multiple directions. This need for mental activity may be focused; for example, you may be trying to solve a problem or develop an idea or understand another person’s feelings. The exact focus will depend on your other strengths. On the other hand, this mental activity may very well lack focus. The theme of Intellection does not dictate what you are thinking about; it simply describes that you like to think. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection. You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound. This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives. Or this introspection may tend toward more pragmatic matters such as the events of the day or a conversation that you plan to have later. Wherever it leads you, this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.

Belief

If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics—both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. “I know where you stand,” they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.

Achiever

Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for achievement. You feel as if every day starts at zero. By the end of the day you must achieve something tangible in order to feel good about yourself. And by “every day” you mean every single day—workdays, weekends, vacations. No matter how much you may feel you deserve a day of rest, if the day passes without some form of achievement, no matter how small, you will feel dissatisfied. You have an internal fire burning inside you. It pushes you to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dwindles for a moment, but very soon it rekindles itself, forcing you toward the next accomplishment. Your relentless need for achievement might not be logical. It might not even be focused. But it will always be with you. As an Achiever you must learn to live with this whisper of discontent. It does have its benefits. It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. It is the jolt you can always count on to get you started on new tasks, new challenges. It is the power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your work group. It is the theme that keeps you moving.

I’d be curious what your results are if you’ve taken the SF inventory. And… if you think you know me… how do these results compare to what you know of me?

Jeff Kapusta, leader of Lifepoint Church, has been writing a series about “Hindsight.” It’s things that he would have done differently (or is glad they did) as they church started. His third point was the genesis for this entry – combined with the fact that our church is currently in process of growing into better team-based leadership.

I can understand why it’s a challenge (and even an albatross) for many leaders, especially in the church, to share leadership. Consider the following:

• Sharing leadership means you’re not the end-all, be-all.
• Sharing leaderhip takes more time.
• Sharing leadership requires you to identify, train, and hold accountable other leaders.
• Sharing leadership means that you no longer “touch” everyone’s life. (Highly relational people resist shared leadership for this main reason.)
• Shared leadership requires more prayer and work at unity, vision protection, and diligence.
• Shared leadership makes you get out of your “comfort zone” of easy skillsets and practices. (i.e, Many Lone Ranger Leaders are immensely talented and skilled. They can get things done quicker and probably more efficiently than a team of folks. It doesn’t require a lot of work or effort to accomplish some tasks for them. Therefore, they think, “It would just be easier and faster to do the job myself.”)

There are dozens of other reasons, obviously, but these came to mind immediately.

You’ve probably heard to acronym before of T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Accomplishes More. However, let me add another reason I believe shared leadership is essential for a growing organization, group, or church.

• Shared leadership is biblical.

Yup. For instance, as God called Moses to lead the nation of Israel, Moses initially did pretty well getting everybody out into the sand. It was a high-task time, and everyone unites around a common task or vision. His vision was pretty much, “Let’s get the heck out of Egypt.” “Yaaaaaay,” was everyone’s response. So they went.

However, after that time of high-energy, task-orientation concluded, the day-to-day chore of life, ministry, and leading God’s people settled in. Moses’ father-in-law was sitting on a rock one day watching Moses sweat it out as he attempted to single-handedly lead and arbitrate matters for the people. Between slurps of his Big Gulp and chewing on manna, Jethro (yep, it’s true) said,

“Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 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. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.’” (Exodus 18.17-23, emphasis mine)

Some might argue that even in creating woman for man, the Lord was signaling that we all need someone else to work with. He called the woman a “helper” in Genesis. Interesting that Jesus also referred to the Holy Spirit as our “Helper” in John. Women, please don’t get the big head…

While it’s hard to find a “Thou shalt share thy leadership responsibilities…” in the scriptures, the common praxis of godly leaders throughout is found expressed in the ability to identify and train leaders for God’s people.

You see the identification and equipping of leaders in many places, including Acts 14.23 and Titus 1.5 as growing bodies of Christ needed their own leaders and leadership teams. The elders of the church were responsible for spiritually shepherding the people and helping equip them to serve… each other and all in need.

Other great examples of teams and sharing leadership are evident throughout the scriptures. David and his “mighty men.” (Sounds like a superhero group). Jesus and his disciples (perhaps one of the most powerful examples a leader who could have done it all but willingly chose to identify, train, and equip other leaders for a larger impact). Missionary teams in Acts. The apostolic leadership in Acts…

I was reminded of one of the best books – practical and conceptual – I’ve ever read when responding to Jeff’s entry. Giving the Ministry Away, by Terry Hershey, is actually written for single adult ministers, but it applies to all levels of church leadership. When I was on staff at a large church in the Dallas area as the minister to singles and young adults, I read it and began to see almost immediate fruit from the implementation of shared leadership.

Any organization that continues to rely solely upon the ingenuity of one inspirational leader may indeed become a great one… but only until that leader is in leadership there. How many companies, churches, and organizations have you seen in your lifetime fall after the exit of a dynamic Lone Ranger Leader (or Superhero leader, as Barna calls them in his book The Power of Team-Based Leadership)?

The importance of giving the ministry away and leading others to serve is found in Ephesians 4:

“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Scripture urges church leaders to realize that their primary responsibility is to take Christians where they are and to lead them into maturity, equipping them to lead and serve in the strength of the Holy Spirit, through the gifts He provides. It’s an awesome task, and a time-consuming mission. However, it enables us all to say at the end of the day, “to God be the glory; great things He has done!”

Yet another reason why it’s crucial to lead through teams. Do the hard work. Give the ministry away.